Clothes-retainer.



G. H. WHEARY.

CLOTHES RETAINER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1911.

1,093,222. y Patented Apr. 14, 19m.l

mi. y y

Innnn s rar tl K@ lllORGE H. WHEARY, 0F RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HARTMANN TRUNK COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WISCNSIN.

CLOTHES-RETAINER.

i ,ceases lo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Geenen VHEARY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Racine7 in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have'invented new and use` ful Improvements in Clothes-Retainers, of which the following is a description, refer ence being had to the accompanying dra\v ings, which are a part of this specification. i This invention relates to improvements in clothes retainers4 particularly adapted for use in Wardrobe and other trunks.

Trunks of the Wardrobe type are usually provided With clothes retainers or followers of rectangular form which are adapted to hold garments, suspended from hangers connected to the upper portion ot the compart ment, tightly in position to prevent the dis arrangement of the garments during the transportation of the trunk. These retain-v ers or followers are held in position by means of straps which are connected to the inner portion ofthe Wardrobe compartment and extend around the garment and the presser bar and have their outer ends ad justably connected together by buckles and considerable time is consumed in adjusting the frame and the st 1aps both in packing and unpacking the trunk. `Wardrobe compartments of trunks of the before mentioned type also possess an inherent `weakness due to the fact that the full length ot' the trunk is used for this purpose and medial transversely extending partitions or bracing members for the open side of the compartment would obstruct the opening and in teriere with the packing and unpacking ot the con'ipartment.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to obviate the before mentioned objectionable features and provide a clothes res tainer which may be quickly adjusted in position or removed and when in position will serve to brace the weakest portion of the trunk.

A further object ot' the invention is to provide a. clothes retainer of strong, du-

rable and simple construction and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

A further obgect of the mvention 1s to Specification of Letters Patent.

provide a clothes retainer which is adapted to brace the sides of the trunk compartment against being crushed inwardly and against bulging outwardly and which may be easily removed from the trunk when it is desired to pack or unpack the trunk.

lA further object of the invention is to provide a clothes retainer in which a :fixed portionof the retainer serves to reinforce the walls of the Wardrobe compartment of the trunk. f

With the above, and other objects in vieiv the invention consists of the improved clothes retainer and its parts and eoinbinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views, Figure 1 is a front view of the upper portion ot a trunk, in open position, provided with the improved clothes retainer; Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on line QMQ oit' Fig. l; 'Fig'. 3 is a. verticalsectional vienT thereof taken on line SW3 of Fig. 2; Fig. a is a detail view, on a larger scale, ot the retainer bar locking means; and Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Fig. et.

Referring to the drawing the numeral S indicates the garment connnirtinent oi' a trunk and 9 the other section hinged thereto. This garment. compartment is ot ordine-ry construction and is adapted to be provided in its upper portion with the usual garment hangers (not shown) which support the garments in lull length position. A metal guide band or retainer bar engaging niember l() bent to conform approxin'nltely lo the shape in cross section oi th'ree sides oi the wardrobe compartment of the trunk is rigidly fastened to the inner 'alls ot said compartment and serves to reinlorce said walls. Side portions l1 of said band are spaced a slight distance from the side walls oi the compartment and the end portions l2 oit the band at ille forward bends ot' the spaced portions are otl less width than the spaced portions to provide for removing the retainer bar 'l-3 therefrom. The retainer bar 13 is oi sullicient Patented dpr. it, 1914. Application filed July 5, 1911.' Serial No. 636,930. v

till

length to extend from one .side of the trunk to the other and is provided with spring` actuated bolts 14 which are adapted to enter the rectangular bolt openings 15 and lock said bar in adjusted position. The band engaging ends 16 of the bolts are beveled oil' at an angle to provide for the 'bolts automatically snapping into the bolt openings when the retainer bar is pushed inwardly. The lcasings 17 of the bolts are provided with projecting portions 18 which extend over the spaced portions of the band and also have shoulders 19 formed thereon which extend between the spaced portions of the band and the compartment Walls. These projections and shoulders loosely tit over the side edges of the spaced portions of the band and the bar ends ear against the front faces of the band thus securely holding the band sides and the compartment side Walls from bulging outwardly or being forced inwardly. The bolts are provided with outwardly extending handles Q0 for convenience in releasing the bar from the band.

ln use the garments are suspended in the compartment in the usual way and the retainer bar is then slipped over the ends of the spaced portions of the band and pressed against the garments. In pressing inwardly the spring actuated bolts will snap into the bolt openings and securely and automatically lock the bar in position. The lgarments will now be securely held in position for transportation without, becoming unduly disarrane'ed by the jolts and jars incidental to traveling. lVhen it is desired to remore the garnie-.lits it is only necessary to withdraw the bolts out of engagement with the band openings and stip the retainer bar ot the ends Aot' the smced .portions of the band and the garments may then be removed.

lt is obvious that` any number ot the bands and retainers ma;7 be used in a compartment or that two or more of the retainer bars maj.' he used on the one band if it is desired to space garments apart or to further strengthen the walls of the compartment.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the clothes retainer is Very Simple in mmstruction, easily and quickly adjusted in position and when in the compartment-serves the two fold function otl hold ing the garments in position and bracing and rein't`orcing` the `walls of the compartment.

lt is to be understood that this invention is not'I limited to am'l specified form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such liniit'ations are specified 'in 'the claims.

lVhat l claim as my invention is:

1. A clothes retainer, e-:nnprising a bar retaining member having a rear bracing portion with side portions extending at an angle from the opposite ends thereof, said member adapted to be placed within a trunk and to be fastened to the evallsof the trunk, and a retainer bar adjustably connected to. the side port-ions of the 'ihemben 2. A clothes retainer, comprising a bar engaging member having a rear portion;

with side portions extending at an angle from the opposite ends thereof, said member adapted to be placed within a trunk and to be fastened to the three, sidd Walls thereof, and a retainer bar adjustably connected to the side portions of the yinembenand having parts which extend around lthe edges and guter sides of the side port-ions of the mem er. i

3. A clothes retainer, comprising a retainer bar provided with locking means on opposite ends, and a U-shaped band adapted and constructed '-f be positioned Within a, trunk and fastened to the Walls thereof, the

stem portions of the U-shaped band being` in part spaced from the Walls of the trunk and provided With openings which are engaged by the locking means, said retainer bar provided with means engaging and holding ther said stem and serving to brace the stems of the U-shaped band against L ,teral movement toward and away from f each other. v

4. A clot-hes retainer, comprising a retainer bar, casings positioned on opposite end portions of the bar and provided with' shouldered projectingportions, spring actuated bolts carried by the casings, and a U-shaped band adapted and constructed to be positioned within-a trunk and fastened to the walls thereof, the stem portions of the U-shaped band extending` toward the I opening of the trunk and being in part spaced from the Walls of the trunk and the spaced portions which are automatically engaged by lthe locking means When the retainer bar is pressed into the trunk-and said shouldered projecting portions also engaging the outer side faces of the stem portions, said retaincr bar serving to brace the stems of the U-shaped band against lateral movementtoward and away from each other. f

5. Tn combination with a trunk having a garment compartment, of a clothes retainer therefor comprising a U-shaped band positioned Within Aand fastened to the side and rear Walls of the garment compartment, the stem portions of the U-shaped band extending toward the opening of the compartment and' having portions thereof spaced from the side 'Walls of the compartment and the spaced portions provided with bolt engaging openings, the end portions of said stems being of less width than the spaced portions, a retainer bar, casings positioned on opposite end portions ofthe bar and provided with shouldered projecting portions which are adapted to removably compartment against lateral movement to.-

extend over the edges und backs of the Ward or away from each other. 1G

spaced portions of the band, and spring ae- In testimony Whereof,1 a'HX my signature,

-tuated bolts having; beveled band engaging in presence of two witnesses.

ends which are' adapted to Slide over Jthe GEORGE H. WHEARY. bands and enter the bolt openings when the Witnesses:

b211- s pressed into the compartment, said CLNT D. FRAZELL,

bm' serving to brace Jehe side Walls of the MAX BLOCH. 

